Hoverboards have become immensely popular these days all over the world. The first time the term “hoverboard” was introduced or coined was in the classic and evergreen movie Back to the Future II. However, these hoverboards do not literally hover like Marty Mcfly in the movie but sounds way too cool to let go of that name.

Hoverboards are basically known as self balancing skateboards. This rising hot new trend is hard to resist with the demand increasing each day. It consists of two platforms for the person to stand on with a wheel on each side. The wheels rotate independently of each other. Hoverboards have a built in sensor which helps to maintain the balance and keep the rider upright whatsoever. They contain a few components such as a gyroscope for balancing, batteries for fuel and motors to keep the hoverboard in motion.

Hoverboards are so easy to ride. The rider has to stand on the pressure sensitive pads – one for each foot. To set the hoverboard in motion, all you need to do is lean forward to move ahead and lean backward to go backwards. When the rider needs to change directions, you can place one foot forward than the other which will cause that side of the wheel to move faster and hence, changes the direction.

There are different types of hoverboards that are available on the market. Basically, three types of hoverboards exist:

• Known as the Hendo Hoverboard, it was released in the year 2014.The Hendo board is made up of four electromagnets also known as hover engines which create a strong electromagnetic field to lift the user and levitate them. So this hoverboard definitely sticks to its name with the principle of levitation kept in mind. However it only hovers over a conducting surface for the electromagnetic fields to be produced but not over water.

• Lexus Hoverboard was made by the company Lexus. This hoverboard works on the principle of magnetic field. It consists of a magnet placed in the ground and superconductor in the hoverboard. The superconductor when placed near the magnet, it creates the levitation effect. It is smaller in size as compared to the Hendo hoverboard and looks pretty similar to a skateboard. The only setback is that it can work only over areas where magnets are present. They also don’t work over water surfaces. The superconductors need to be kept cold continuously or else they do not function properly , failing in the levitation effect.

• The Omni hoverboard is a fan powered type of hoverboard. Canadian entrepreneur Philippe Maalouf is working on floating hoverboards. It travels a remarkable distance of almost 900 feet in the air. Out of all the different types of hoverboards, this one is the closest you can link to a hoverboard. It uses the principle of gravitational force. The rotors move in an upward direction when the props push the air present in a downward direction thus lifting the user above the ground. The flight time is only for a few minutes as it needs to be heavily charged.

In late January 2016, Philippe Maalouf, a Canadian entrepreneur, had something to say to hoverboard fans. He plans to make a hoverboard that, as he puts it, ‘actually hovers’. This piece of recent hoverboard news highlights the fact that most hoverboards are in fact unable to hover at all as they are on wheels. Pointing this out, Maalouf has announced his intention to give hoverboard lovers what they really want: a hoverboard that hovers in the air without wheels!

What will this new board be called?

Maalouf’s company is called Omni Hoverboards, and he and his team’s new creation will accordingly be called the ‘Omni Hoverboard’. Or, for short, you can simply refer to it as the ‘Omni’. It has already been tested above water, and in these contexts the test user has flown a few feet above the surface of a lake.

How will the Omni work?

When you flip over your Omni board, instead of the traditional two wheels, you will find an array of helicopter blades. These blades rotate into action and push you into the air, enabling you to truly hover.

Can we get one? How much?

The board is still at the planning stages at the moment, unfortunately. But, several details of the board are already being discussed. For instance, Maalouf has said that he will be using gasoline powered engines rather than battery powered ones because battery packs can be weighty and thus prevent you from enjoying that all important sensation of flying along effortlessly in the air. When it comes to pricing, though, we can reveal that Maalouf aims to sell each individual board for between $25, 000 and $50, 000 on the retail market.

The estimated release date for the Omni Hoverboard will likely be some time in 2017. So, not too long to wait.

What will the applications of this new board be?

Maalouf envisages his new hoverboard as having a wide range of potential applications, in military, civic, and leisure contexts. For instance, he has suggested in a recent interview that the Omni board could be used to inspect bridges over rivers (remember, it has been shown to work really well for hovering over water). In fact at Hoverboards Electric, they’re currently promoting the recent models: http://hoverboardselectric.com/

But will it still be fun?

Of course! Leisure users can splash out on a hoverboard and enjoy the fun of hovering about the backyard, racing friends, or skimming over the surface of a lake. Maalouf has said that the sensation of hovering on his new hoverboard will differ from the sensation of hovering on traditional models in the following way: on previous hoverboards, users felt like they were hovering on something, flying about on their board. But, with the Omni board, you will feel like it is you yourself who is actually flying, Maalouf states.

Are there any similar companies to watch out for at the moment?

A similar company is Arca, which is traditionally an aerospace firm. They have also developed a hoverboard without wheels. Unlike the Omni board, this board from Arca flies using fans powered by electricity. Which one will be better? Well, that remains to be seen. The Arca board is certainly less expensive as it comes in at a mere $19, 000. However, you will need to charge it too: and the charger costs an additional $4, 500!